1810.] 
sen. The island was about two miles 
in length and one in breadth, and was, 
although flat, somewhat more elevated 
above the surface of the sea, than the 
contivuous island of Elizabeth. The 
Dutch, when in possession of the Cape, 
Kept a guard of twenty-four men on Bos- 
sen; and it was employed as a place of 
banishment for criminals, to the number 
of from seventy to a hundred, who dug 
lime-stone to supply materials for the 
buildings on the adjacent continent. 
No women were then permitted to reside 
here, not even the wife of ‘the port-mas- 
ter. It was not allowed that strangers 
should visit it, 
had lost great part of her crew, and was 
refused assistance at the Cape, sent a 
boat on shore, dispersed the guard, and 
received on board as many malefactors 
as were necessary to navigate her to Eu- 
rope. At the southern extremity of the 
island, a flag was hoisted on the approach 
of any, vessel. 
FRANCE. 
M. Vavuguetin, in the name of the 
Committee of the Chemical. Arts, has 
Jately reported on a manufacture of 
tallow for candles, professed to be puri- 
Sed from all animal substances of an in- 
jartious nature, 
ture, and not at all discolored. « The 
tallow,” says he, ‘* whicly I carefully 
examined, is demi-transparent, perfectly 
dry, and sonorous. Ik is indeed so very 
dry, that when a blade of iron is passed 
over it, only lightly touching it, it gives an 
extremely lively phosphoric light, occa- 
sioned, according to all appearance, by 
an electric motion; for when 'this tallow 
is recently melted, and the surrounding 
air is extremely dry, the mere passing of 
the hand on it is sufficient to produce 
sparks. The dryness of this tallow is 
still farther demonstrated by its perfect 
transparency when melted; at the tempe- 
rature of boiling water, neither bubbles 
nor clouds are discernible. This tallow, 
it is affirmed, may be kept without any 
discoloration or rancidity for two years, 
The candles made of it are extremely 
white, their light is very pure, they emit 
Tittle or no smoke, they do tot gutter or 
run, and require snofiing less frequently 
than others. They are about five per cent: 
higher in price than those of common 
nianufacture.” fe 
M. Tarenwi has discovered, that the 
slimy juice of snails is a specific for the 
cure of heruia, when the ruptured part 
ean be returned, and jt is not dangerous 
to confine’ it in the body. When this 
since a Danish ship which 
to be free from all mois-. 
‘cansiderable 
Literary and Philosophical Intellagence. 167 
point is ascertained, he directs that a 
truss be made, having the ball at the end 
concave instead of convex, as usual, for 
the reception of a-cup of equal diameter 
with the orifice of the hernia. The cup 
must be of porcelain, glass, or earthen- 
ware, that the liquor may not penetrage 
it, or undergo any alteration; and the 
eages of it'should be turned, that they 
may not-incommode the patient. ft as 
to be filled with wool, which must be 
changed every other day. L'wo, three, 
or four, hundred snails are then te be 
procured, and kepc in a place where 
‘they can procure food, 
three, or if they are sinall, six or eight, 
are to be used every day. The patient, 
before he rises, and after he has-been jn 
bed, removes the cup from the truss, and 
pricks the snail in different places with 
apin. From each wound the snail gives 
out, through the opening in his shell, 
sometimes a bluish, sometimes & grey, 
liquid, which must be caught on the wool 
in the cup. Lf only athck froth cozes 
ott, the snail must be thrownaside, avd. 
another ? taken in his stead. The cup 
being sufficiently filled with liquor, must 
always be placed exactly In the same si- 
tuation, onthe affected pee then co- 
vered eae -a white linen cloth, and the 
ball of the trass applied on it. Vhe 
Jatter niust be sufficiently tight, to pre= 
vent the fluid from escaping. During 
“this treatinent, which will last three or 
four months, or more, the only precauti- 
ons necessary to be taken are to shave the 
part once in four days, and not to leave 
it long uncovered for fear of cold, If 
the cup rubs off the skin, must be 
removed till the place is healed. ‘In 
this case the patient may remove the 
truss altogether at night, if it can be done 
without danger; and in the day-time he 
may wear it dry, filling. the cavity with 
wool, and covering the. hernia with a bit 
of cloth. By this treatme nt, a common 
hernia may be cured in two, three, or at 
most four, months; after which, however, 
the patient should continue to wear the 
truss for six weeks, or two months, «ll 
the wound is sufficiently healed, to per- 
mit the muscles to resume their natural 
action. 
M. Amarus Gouson Bexprianp, the 
companion of M. Von Liambalidr, in bis | 
travels, has. beev appointed chiet inspec- 
tor of the domain of Malmaison, with a 
salary. 
continue the splendid work, entitied, 
“ Le Jardin de Malmuisoa,” interrap ed 
by the death of Ventenat, as svon as the 
\ secund 
~ 
as only two or- 
He-will probably , 
